Research

Active Projects

CARBONATE CLUMPED ISOTOPES

Kinetics of C-O bond 'reordering' in carbonates

We are continuing to work on laboratory heating of carbonates with varying mineralogy (e.g., calcite, aragonite, and siderite), this includes experiments at ambient pressure and much higher P-T conditions in collaboration with Hanna Nekvasil's group (SBU Geosciences).
Development of new models, with the goal of improving applications of these effects to geologic samples.

Terrestrial paleoclimatology in the East Africa

We have begun a multidisciplinary collaboration to study Miocene soil carbonate isotopes as paleoclimate recorders in the Turkana Basin, Kenya. This involves more brilliant colleagues than can be listed here, but includes Craig Feibel (Rutgers), Cat Beck (Hamilton), Kevin Uno (Columbia), and Chris Poulsen (University of Oregon).
We are also targeting a variety of other carbonates, including lacustrine marls, rhizoliths, eggshells, and mollusks.

Mesozoic and Paleozoic marine paleothermometry

We are working with Kirk Cochran (SBU SoMAS) and Neil Landman (AMNH) on late Cretaceous paleothermometry in the Western Interior Seaway and elsewhere. We have been working on a variety of carbonate materials, from authigenic nodules to ammonite fossils.
Work on Paleozoic fossils is ongoing, with recent examples being aragonitic mollusks from the Late Paleozoic with Linda Ivany (Syracuse) and Ordovician calcitic brachiopods with Troy Rasbury (SBU Geosciences).

Coupled carbonate clumped isotope thermometry and U-Pb dating - with Troy Rasbury and John Luczaj (UW-Green Bay)

We have begun working on a project using coupled clumped isotope temperatures and U-Pb dates to constrain the timing of fluid fluid and brine geochemistry in the western Michigan Basin.

Siderite clumped isotope geochemistry - with Joel Hurowitz (SBU Geosciences)

Carbonaceous chondrite carbonates - with Timothy Glotch (SBU Geosciences)

OTHER CLUMPED ISOTOPES

Clumped isotopes of trace atmospheric gases - with John Mak (SBU SoMAS)

We have begun to make routine clumped isotope measurements of atmospheric CO and are continuing to explore equilibrium and kinetic isotope fractionation in the laboratory.

COLLABORATIVE STABLE ISOTOPE PROJECTS

Fish stable isotope (paleo)ecology - with Michael Frisk (SBU SoMAS), Josephine Aller (SBU SoMAS), and Oliver Shipley (Beneath the Waves)

Laser ablation-IRMS - led by Tara Smily (SBU Ecology & Evolution)